Baby Germa
}} The Baby Germa (ベビーゲルマー) This camera is called "Baby Gelmer" in , p.336, but the shutter face reads BABY GERMA. ("Gelmer" and "Germa" are two possible readings of the katakana ゲルマー, see Gelmer). is a Japanese camera taking 3×4cm exposures on 127 film, made from late 1938 by Tōkyō Shashin Kōgaku Kōgyōsha. It seems that two different versions exist, one has a rigid body and the other has a bellows. See also the Semi Germa. Rigid camera Advertising and other documents The Baby Germa was advertised in the October 1938 issue of Ars Camera and featured in the new products column of the November 1938 issue of Asahi Camera. , p.336. Based on this description, says that the Baby Germa is a 3×4 camera with a telescopic tube and a tubular finder, and lists the following lens and shutter combinations: , p.336. * Trinar 50/4.5, Compur (T, B, 1–300); * Trinar 50/4.5, Germa A (T, B, 5–250); * Trinar 50/4.5, Germa B (T, B, 25–150). The October advertisement reportedly mentions the maker Tōkyō Shashin Kōgaku as the maker of the Tsubasa photo products. , p.336. Description The only known example of the rigid Baby Germa is pictured in . , item 4036. It has a metal body, looking like it was made for a folding camera but the bellows part was solidified as an afterthought. It seems that there is a telescopic tube supporting the lens and shutter assembly. The advance knob is at the left end of the top plate. There is an eye-level finder in the middle, contained in a housing extending to the right end of the top plate. This housing contains an additional brilliant finder and supports an accessory shoe. The back is hinged to the right. The example pictured in has a shutter giving 5–250, B, T speeds, perhaps corresponding to the Germa A. The shutter plate is marked BABY-GERMA at the top and TSK at the bottom, maybe for Tōkyō Shashin Kōgaku. The release lever is on the shutter housing itself. The lens is a front-cell focusing 5cm f/4.5, reportedly called Helios Anastigmat, and it has no.2532. The aperture scale is at the bottom of the shutter plate. Folding camera Original documents The Baby Germa is mentioned as a bellows camera in the government inquiry listing Japanese camera production as of April 1943. , item 167. The document says that the camera was made by Tōkyō Shashin and distributed by Kigawa. The lens is reported as a three-element Helios 50/4.5 made by Tōkyō Shashin, and the description of the shutter is missing. , lens item Jc12. Description The only known example of the folding Baby Germa is pictured in this page. Its body is extremely similar to the Baby Leotax, except for the absence of a logo in the folding struts. (Both cameras are inspired from the German Baby Ikonta.) There is a folding optical finder, identical to the finder of the Baby Leotax, and a body release on the left of the top plate, with a slightly different shape. The advance knob is at the bottom right and is apparently similar to the knob of the Baby Leotax. The back is hinged to the left and has two red windows, protected by a cover. The lens is a Helios Anastigmat 5cm f/4.5, with no.4644 (later than on the rigid example). The shutter gives T, B, 1–200 speeds, and its size looks smaller than the shutter of the rigid example. The shutter plate is inscribed BABY GERMA at the top but has no "TSK" marking. Notes Bibliography * Item 100. (The book does not show any advertisement copy nor picture.) * Item 167. * Item 4036. Category: Japanese 3x4 viewfinder Category: B Germa, Baby Category: 1938